Real Flight 3.5 vs. 4.5?

[doolin64]

For a complete newbie...is it worth buying 4.5? I really just want to try and practice flying. I don't know one brand heli from the other. Graphics aren't important either. I'm just trying to justify the extra $80.

I'm open to other brands as well as long it includes a radio.

[mareklew]

Try Reflex-XTR if you're going big bucks anyway. Recently got it and it's till now the one that feels most like my real 450. Graphics is good too. I fly it with my Futaba 6EXHP, but they have a version with a radio thingy (albeit not in this online shop).
http://www.simwerk.de/xtc/index.php?cat=c7_Full-Version.html
Price tag is hefty, I have a copy borrowed, wouldn't pay that much for a sim, but ist sure feels MUCH closer to real than RF.

[jabra]

well for starters like me, many have suggested the Realflight simulator. yes, i agree that the graphics isn't that important. but sooner or later, i know it will atleast matter. try going for the 3.5, i myself is going for that i think. just be sure to have a good graphic/3d card. then you'll realized that RF 4.5 ain't probably so much worth of the extra 80 bucks..

but with 4.5, well the advantage is the accuracy with the real thing, more flying site detail, more aircraft and more flying sites..

but if i were you, 3.5 will be more than enough to start with.

[brian94066]

i'd go with 3.5

even with a high end computer system like i have there's still many glitches and problems with 4.5

3.5 has a great community online on multiplayer and we are willing to help you with everything

[jasmine2501]

I did not have any problems running 4.5 on Vista with a good video card - but I didn't find a whole lot of difference between the new version - 3.5 will be good enough for most things you're going to want to do, and it will run on a 'lesser' computer as well.

[ifoguy]

I own RealFlight 3.5. I've tried the 4.0 demo. I don't notice anything in 4.0 that tempts me to upgrade.

Plus, these folks are selling 3.5 for $100 (click add-to-cart to see the price):

http://www.bigskyhobby.com/Flight-Simulators/-RealFlight-G3-5-w-InterLink-Plus-Controller-Mode-2-Flight-Simulator-by-Great-Planes--p385.html

[deswong]

I'm happily using 3.5 with my setup. I was tempted when 4 came out - but as ifoguy said, I couldn't find a good reason to upgrade. Especially because it demands better hardware, etc.

I am currently using it on my laptop - which is a few years old - but great because I have it hooked up to the telly and I've modded the RF3.5 controller so I can pair my DX7 to it - so I can sit back and practice on the big screen (and can see the tiny heli better LOL)

[higcell]

Ive got 3.5, i heard you can upgrade to 4.5 by just downloading sumthing, anybody know how??

[HoverBovver]

Ive got 3.5, i heard you can upgrade to 4.5 by just downloading sumthing, anybody know how??

No, you can upgrade from 4.0 to 4.5 for free but 4.0 requires the new interlink elite interface and is not compatible with the older interface afaik.

[LW Icarus]

I tried 4.5 at the LHS and bought 3.5. If you have the extra cash buy the latest one, but otherwise its mostly just graphics, and water landings. Im not sure if the physics got tweaked much or not, I couldn't tell in my short demo of 4.5, but 3.5 is convincing enough for me.
I think graphics are secondary and even freeware like helisimrc will at least let you fly enough that the controls become "automatic" and thats what is really important in the beginning. I can't tell ya how many times I still start to maneuver the wrong direction when Im not tail in.. and all my mishaps are due to that and losing my sense of direction when the heli is in the distance.
When I find myself no longer "thinking" about control input, I think I'll be ready to go try the real one again :)